Safety guard for centrifugal machines



Nov. 22, 1927. 1,649,947

T. A. BRYSON SAFETY GUARD FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES Filed April 10. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l I /ZZ7Z .0 4 m3 /4z #5 vINVENTOR Nov.v 22, '1 927. 1,649,947

T. A. BRYSON SAFETY GUARD FOR CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES Filed April 10. 1923 s Sheets-Sheet 2 0" IN VENTOR IVL/ ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 22, 1927. I i v i v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TANIDY A. BRYSON, or TROY, NEW YORK, Assrenon To TOLHURST MACHINE WORKS,

' A oonrona'rron or NEW YORK. a

' SAFETY GUARnronoEn'r rFUGAL MACHINES: V

The invention relates to safety guards for prevent the opening of the basket lid or 010- I centrifugal.machines, and more particularly sure before the basket has come completely to a novel and greatly improved form; of to rest. In realizing this general object, the

such guards which automatically prevents invention provides locking means for the the machine being, startedbefore the basket basket lid orclosure which are movable by lid or closure is closed, and also prevents the an operative to permit the'opening of the lid basket closure being opened until the basket "or closure, after the basket has come to rest, 60

is entirely at rest. I but which returns automatically and immedi- Objects and advantages of the invention ately to locking position as soon as released will be set forth in part hereinafter and in by the operative after the opening ofthe lid part will be obvious herefrom, or may. be or closure. In cooperation and conjunction learned by practice with the invention, the therewith a mechan'ism'is providedwhereby 65 same being realized and attained by means of the power may beturned on to rotate the the instrumentalities and combinations point- .basket only when the basket lid or closure is ed out in the appen'ded claims. 7 e in the closed and locked positiomthismeans The invention consistsjin the. novel parts, being controlled directly from the basket constructions, arrangements, combinations closure. v and improvements herein shown and de- 5 Referring now by way of example to the scribedf Y present preferred embodiment ofthe'inven- The accompanying. drawings, referred to tron, illustrated byway of example in the acherein and constituting'a part hereof, illus 'companying drawings, a centrifugal machine trate one embodiment of the invention,and of a substantially standard type or formis w together with the description, serve to exshown having a casing 1 within which is the plain the principles of the invention. usual basket (not shown). The basket is Of h d i 1 supportedby androtated bythe shaft 2,

Fig. 1 is a top plan, with parts in section which shaft is driven in a suitable manner, of a mechanism embodying the invention; as by a pulley 3 fast on the shaft, over which S Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking at Fig. 1 pulley runs a drivingbelt 4. This shaft is f th l ft; I I carried in bearings mounted uponthe upper Fig. 3 is a detached detail of the hinges of part of uprightframe pieces '5 and 6, the

the basket closure;

Application filed A rn o, 1923. Serial No. 631,063.

bases 7 and 8 of which, respectively, are bolt- Fig. 4 is a fragmentaryvertical section, ed toand supported by the .topportion' 9 of a6 greatly enlarged, taken substantially online the casing 1. A standard 10 is likewise fixed 44: of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the to the top of thecasing and-extendsupward 35 arrows; ly to support the shaft bearing .and also the Fig. 5 is a horizontal section, taken subbelt pulleys and other parts. The upper stantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 4:, looking in parts of these supports are broken away as the direction of'the arrows; they constitute per se no part ofthe present Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are fragmentary views, invention.--This construction so far described] 40 showing different positions of the safety deis a well-known type of construction and vice and control for the basket driving mechneed not be described in further detail. a anism; V The embodied form of safety li' d or closure Fig. 9 is avertical central section of a comprises two lids or halves 21 and 2-2, the modified form of the basket closure. locking lid'21 being hinged at 23 and 24, and turn- 45 and releasing device; and ing up and downon an axispassing through Fig. 10 is a likeview' of another modified v, these hinges, the h nges being mounted either form of said device. v directly -or indireetlyuuponthe top of the The invention is directed to providing a casing. In'likemannerthe lid member 22 is novel and useful safety guard for centrifugal mounted on hinges 27 and 28 and turns up 59 machines, which will necessarily compel the and down on an axis passing'fthrough these complete closure of the basketclosure or lid hinges the hinges being likewise 'mounted before the power can be applied to start the upon the casing: r I

basket rotating, and [also will effectively V The two lids 21 and 22 close'down about .A helical spring 65 is in compression and encircle the shaft 2, and when they are raised up,,they engage with and are held in the raised position by automatically acting detent hooks 29. This form of easing closure is the same as, or substantially similar to, that shown in my Patent No. 1,160,37 3 dated Nov. 16, 1915, although the invention in its broader aspects is applicable to other forms of centrifugalcasings or basket closure and i the present embodiment will not be regarded as restrictive of the invention.

Referring now in detail to the embodied form of the lid or closure locking devices (Figs. 1 to 5), a sleeve 34 fits closely about the shaft 2 at the level of the top of the casing and somewhat thereabove. This sleeve is fixed to the shaft 2 to rotate therewith in a suitable manner as by clamping screws 35 which are screw-threaded into the sleeve 34 and engage the shaft 2. A stop collar 36 isalso preferably employed at the top. of the sleeve, and this is likewise held in position insuitable manner by the screw has on its bottom portion an outwardlyand downwardly extending conical skirt 38, beneath the bottom edge of which a cooperating locking member-,or members, on the easing lid or closure engages to lock the lid in closed position. 011 its inner surface, which is in sliding engagement with the sleeve 34, the locking ring 37 is provided with a helical groove 40 of relatively very great pitch, and this groove-preferably terminates at its upper end in a locking notch 41. A pin 42 is fixed in the sleeve 34 and works in the groove 40. As a matter of convenience, the locking ring 37 is preferably provided with both a right-hand groove 40 and a left-hand groove 40, and the pin 42 may be positioned in either groove dependent upon the direction in which the basket and its shaft 2 are to be rotated.

Mounted on each of the casing lids or closures 21 and 22 are suitable cooperating locking means, and as shown, a spring latch 6O, having a beveled nose 61, is longitudinally reciprocably mounted in an aperture 1n the front end of a casing 62 fastened to,

and mounted upon, the upper surface of the corresponding lids 21 and 22. The latch has extending from the. rearward end there of a cylindrical pin 64, which is also longitudinally reciprocably supported in an opening in the rear wall of the casing tween the rear wall of the casing 62 and the rear end of the latch head 60. Y Thus, when the lid or closure 21 or 22 is closed,

the beveled end 61 of the latch will engage with the beveled skirt 38 of the locking ring, and the latch will be pressed backwardly against its spring 65, and then will snap outwardly beneath the skirt 38 and thus be locked, the pin. 42 in the'recess 41 preventing the upward motion of the locking ring- 37.

The manner of operation of the mecl1anism just described is substantially as follows 1 The mechanism may be regarded as in the full line position of Fig. 4, and the operative releases the lids 21 and 22 from their springcatohes 29, and as they drop down, the latches 60 will lock the lids beneath the skirt 38 of the locking ring as just described, and the pin 42 will hold the locking ring' in its position. The closing of the lids will permit the turning on of the power and the rotation of the basket and its shaft 2 by mechanism and in a manner which will, be later described.

After the drying or other centrifugal separating action is completed, it will be impossible for an operator to grasp the looking ring .37 and raise it to the broken line position of Fig. 4 (therebyto release and permit the opening ofthe lids 21 and 22) That helical groove 40 in the locking ring is used so that the locking ring must turn in the direction of rotationof the shaft 2 when it is raised fromlocking tounlocking position. hen the basket. shaft 2 is moving, any friction on the'locking ring. 37 caused by an operative grasping the locking-ring tends to cause the locking ring to rotate backwardly relatively to the basket shaft 2, and

the direction or position of the groove 40 causes a compelling downward pressure on the ring 37, whereby it is firmly held'down. Practical tests have shown it to beimpossible to turn the locking ring in the direction of rotation of shaft 2 and at the same time to lift thering, .even when the shaft is rotating exceedingly slowly and is about to come to rest. i V

The pitch or inclination of the groove'40,

while sufficient to prevent the locking ring being raised until shaft 2 has come absolutely, to rest, is suflicientlysteep to permit the locking ring-todrop backof its own weight to locking position, that is, from the broken line position to the solidline position of'Fig. 2. The acquired inertia at the end of'the drop is suflicient to rotatethe locking ring and bring the pin 42 into 'the'locking' groove or pocket 41 so that the locking ring may not again be lifted on the shaft without at the same time-rotating it, which can only be done when the shaft is at rest.

In Fig. 9 a modifiedform of the locking mechanism is shown wherein a sleeve 70 is fixed on the shaft- 2, this sleevehavinga heavy helical groove or screw-thread 72 formed on the exterior surface thereof. A

-. device in this case consists of a cylinder 7 5, gally operating locking detents. 'As eminseam B stop collar 71;is formed atthe upperl vend ,ed to e ngage to lock-.the lids inclosed posiof the sleeve 70. Astop collar 7 1133180 tion, p i I I provided at the lower end of the path ,of ,Mountedwithin the ,cylinder 96 are I one travel of the locking device. The locking or more, preferably at least'two, centrifusurrounding loosely the sleeve 70, the -cylbodied, a detent member 100 has a hori'zoninder having an enlarged hollow lower por tally-extending end 101, adapted to move tion 76, the flat bottom face of which coninto and out of locking engagement ,below stitutes thelatch engaging surface or device. thelowenend ofithe sleeve 90 by centrifugal A pawl 78 is within the enlarged lower por-- action. This looking member is pivotally tion 7 6 of the cylinder or casing 7 5, the pawl connected at 102 upon asupporting bracket being pivotally supported at 79 and acted 103, extendingdownwardly from the bottom upon by a spring, 80, which impels. it inface ofthe,flangeniember wardly toward the shaft 2. The upper end Fixed ,to, or integral with, the locking of the pawlconstitutes asquare face 81 :and member 100 isa downwardly-extending tail- 5,

the underside of th-epawl constitutes a bevel ,104, terminating preferably in a weight 105. face 82. Spring. pressed latches 60 carried (hen the lids 21 and22 are closed, their by the closure snap under the, lower edge of locking'latch-es 60 will snap into locking poportion 7 6 for holding the covers closed. sition beneath the lower head 98 of the cyl- This mechanism operates insubstantially inder 96. As soon as the shaft 2 begins ro- .35 the same manner as that of Fig. 4. That tating, centrifugal action will movethe finis, the groove or threadTO or- T2 is inclined gers 101 inwardly immediately into looking so that by reason of theengagementofthc engagement beneath the lower end of the square end 81 of pawl-78therewith. itis'necsleeve 90. The parts are so proportioned essary to rotate thelocking memb'er 75 in thatltheflvery slowest rotatory motion of 19 the direction of rotation of the shaft 2 to shaft2, due tocentrifugal action, will im raise the locking member from the locking mediately cause this, lockingengagement. position of Fig. '9. When .the operative vWhen shaft 2 comes completelyto rest,

grasps the locking member 7 5, if shaftr2 is r the fingers 101v are just clear of the bottom 1 rotating even slightly, the screw-thread of the fixed sleeve 90, and thelooking device thrusts the head 81 of the pawldownwardly may beslid longitudinally upwardly up and holds, or impels, the member 7 5 to lock along, the shaft, the pin ,92 sliding in the ing position. groove 93. After the lids 21 and 22 are lVhen the shaft is atrestthe locking memlifted, the locking device will immediately ber 75 may berotated (and liftedupwar'dly and automatically again drop to locking po- ,l to release the lids 21 and 22. When .the op- .sition as soonas the operative lets there'- erative lets go of the locking member 75, of. It will be understood that these modified the bevel face 82 of ,1 the pawl 78 engages forms are likewise illustrative and -eXplanawith the thread 7 2 on sleeve 70, and the pawl tory of the invention, and that other forms a is cammed backwardly, that is, radially outmaybe devised within the scope of the'apwardly against the spring 80. The locking pended claims. I a member 7 5 Wlll immediately H drop to the The present preferred cmbodunent of colocking position of 9, whereupon-the operating means for preventing the power pawl 78 willsnap inwardly; radially and its being turned on and the basket started into square head 81'will lock beneath the. screw rotation before the lids are closed, is shown. 1

applied to an ordinary belt shifter, 211- thread 72 ofthe sleeve 70. i t v 'In Fig. 10 another modified form of the though it will be understood-that it is likelocking mechanism is-shown, wherein a colwise applicable to other forms of power conlar 90 is fixed to the shaft 2 to rotate; theretrol,such as the starting box-for an elecwith by suitable means, such as a clamping trio motor or other power device. As emscrew- 91. A pin 92-is fixed in the sleeve 90 Y bodied, a rod 112 is longitudinally slidable and projects outwardly into a slot 93 in a in a suitable support, here shown astheweh cylinder 94, which cylinder loosely encircles I 113, which, is' a part. of the bearing support the sleeve 90. Thereby the cylinder 9,4 must 5 already described, the rod being slidable to rotate with the sleeve but is-longitudinjally andffro'in an aperture or slot 114; in the T slidable alongthe sleeve and vtherefore along .web. The rod 112 is preferably formed at the, shaft 2. The cylinder 94, atits bottom its forward'end into a flat plate 115,'havin q e'nd terminates in a horizontal annular in itstbottom; edgetwo locking notches 116 flange. 95,- and an enlarged cylinder 96. fits and 117,-adapted to iit over theiflang e 113 about the circular per-ipheryof the flange 95' at the bottom side of the slot 114 to holdand isfixed' thereto byrsnitable means, such the rod 112 firmly in either the power-oif or as-pinsorscrews 97. Thecylinder 96'at thepower-on positions, This device is prefits bottom end terminates-in aflat circular erably provided with ahandle 118. head 98, beneat h@which the springlatches The,controlling device forthe foregoing 6 ,I 11 0 he lids 2lcand ZZ'HIBeCl -PF mechanism, or its equivalent, inits. present end is mounted in a bearing 125.

' W hen both lids 21 embodied form, comprises a devicemovable by and with the lids 21 and 22. As so embodied, a bail 122 is fixed at either end to a rod 123, which rod is journaled in lugs 12% and 125, which are mounted on the casing. Rod 123 extends outwardly and at its outer Fixed to this red is a crank arm 126, to which is pivoted at its free end 127, a rod 128 terminating at its front end in a flat plate 129, which likewise. is reciprocable in the slot 114. The plate 129 is provided with high parts or projections 130 and 131 at ,itsends with a low part 132 therebetween.

In the operation of this device, the operating: rod 112 for the driving power for the basket may be regarded as in the power-off position, with the notch 117 resting over the flange 114, as it was necessary that the rod 112 be moved in this position before the locking device on the shaft 2 could be moved to permit the raising of the lids 21 or 22. By raising either lid, the bail 122 isrocked upwardly, and thereby the crank arm 126 is rocked to the left in Fig. 6, and the projection 131 is aliiied in the aperture 114, thereby locking'the power controlling rod 112 in the power-off position. These parts must remain in this position so long asv either lid is unclosed.

v V and 22 are closed, the bail 1.22 drops therewith to the position shown in F ig. 7, and the bail is sufficiently heavy to rock the arm 126 to the right, and the depression 132 is thereby brought into line with the slot 114. This permits the rod 112 to be lifted from the position of Fig. 7 and moved to that of Fig. 8, when the recess 116 stops therod in the power-on position. While the rod 112 may now be manipulated at will to turn on and off the power, it will be recalled that the latches have locked the lids 21 and 22 in closed position and they may not be released until the basket and its shaft 2 have come to a full stop. If either lid be lifted, the rod 112 is thereby locked in the power-off position. i

As stated, the foregoing mechanism is shown exemplarily applied to a belt shifter, wherein a driving belt 134 is driven in a suitable manner, as from the counter shaft or otherwise, and is movable between the fast and loose pulleys 135 and 136 on shaft 137. Fixed on shaft 137 also is a pulley 138 over which runsjthe basket driving belt 4; Shaft 137 is journaled in bearing blocks 139 and 1 10. A belt shifter 1 11 is attached to a longitudinally reciprocable rod 142, mounted reciprocably at one end in a bearing 1 13, and at its other end 144, fixed to the shaft 112.

One of the advantages of my invention is that the operator may turn the basket freelv by hand to facilitate loading and unloading without danger of having the guard or lid closure to lock it in means preventing the unlocking of the 010-.

principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is 1. A safety device for contrifugal' machines including in combination a basket, a closure therefor, means operating automatically by closing the closure to lock it in closed position, and means at 'the center of the basket movable to permitthe unlocking of the closure only when the basket is at rest and returning automatically to closure locking position after its closureunlocking movement. l

2. A safety device for centrifugal machines including in; combination a basket, a closure therefor, means operating auto'mati cally by closing the closure'tojlock it in it closed position, and means cooperating with the shaft of the basketmovable to permit unlocking of the closure only when the basket is at rest and returning automatically to locking position immediately after such movement, basket rotating means and means preventing said means rotating the basket until the closure is closer.

3. A safety v device for centrifugal inachines including in combination a basket, a closure therefor, inter-engaging means partly on the closure and partly on the basket shaft, operating automatically by closing the sure until the basket is at rest. 7

41. A safety device for centrifugal machines including in combination 'a basket, a closure therefor, means operating automatically by closing the closur'eto lock it in closed position and meanscooperating with the shaft of the basket movable to permit the unlocking of the closure only: when the basket is at rest, and returning automatically to locking position after said closure is unlocked, basket rotating means and means controlled by the closure for preventing said means rotatingthe closure until the closure is closed. 5. A safety device for centrifugal machines including in combination a basket,1a

closure therefor, means operating automati closed position and llll) cally by closing the' closure to lock it in closed position, cooperating means carried partly by the closure and partly by the-basket shaft closure until the basket isfat rest, said means carried by the basket shaft being movable to unlock said closure only when the basket is at rest and returning automatipreventing the unlocking of said position by the rotation of and its shaft, a basket closure, a safety de' vice on the shaft normally in locking pos1-.

tion and a locking. device on the closure au tomatically looking with said safety device by closing the closure. I

7. A safety device for centrifugal machines including in combinationa basket and its shaft, a basket closure, a safety device on the shaft, movable to unlocking position and returning immediately to locking position and a locking device on the closure automatically looking with said safety de: vice by closingthe closure.

8. A safety device for centrifugal machines including in combination. abasket and its shaft, a basket closure, a safety device on the shaft, movable to unlocking position and returning automatically and immediately to locking position and a locking device on the closure automatically locking With said safety device by closing the closure. 9. A safety device for centrifugal ma chines including in combination a basket and its closure, a safety device cooperating with the basket shaft and maintained in locking the basket, but movable to unlock the closure only when the basket comes to rest and returning immediately to locking position after the closure has been unlocked preparatory to locking the closure again as soon as it is closed.

10. A safety device for centrifugal machines including in combination a basket and its closure, :1 safety the closure and partly by the basket shaftand maintained in locking position by the rotation of the basket, but movable to un' lock the closure only when the basket comes to rest and returning automatically and immediately to locking position as soon as said closure has been unlocked preparatory to locking the closure again as soon as it is closed.

11. A safety device for centrifugal machines including in combination a basket and its shaft, a basket closure, a safety defvice comprising a locking member slidable along the shaft and means interengaging with the shaft for compelling rotation of {the locking member relatively to the shaft as it slides therealong, and means on the 010- sure engaging with said locking member.

12. A safety device for centrifugal machines including in combination a basket and its shaft, a basket closure, a locking sleeve slidable along the shaft, and having a helical device carried partly by and WOIklIl 1n the groove.

13. A safbty device for centrifugalmachines including in combination a basket and its shaft, a basket closure, axlocking sleeve slidable alDDgthe shaft, and having a heliealgroove therein and a pin fixed to the shaft and Working, inthe groove and a spring latch on the closureengaging automati'callywith the sleeve. 1

lab-A safety device for centrifugal machines including in combination a basket and its shaft, abasket closure, a locking.

sleeve slidable along the shaft, and having a helical groove therein and a pin fixed to the shaft and Working in the groove and a yielding device on the closure engaging automatically with the sleeve.

'roove therein and apin fixed to the shaft 15. A safety device for centrifugal ma chines includingin combination a basket and its shaft, a basket closure, a locking sleeve slidable along the shaft, and having a helical groove therein and a pin fixed to the shaft and working in the groove, the groove being formed to cause the pin to lock the sleeve in looking position.

16. A safety device for centrifugal machines including in combination a basket and its shaft, a basket closure, a locking sleeve slidable along the shaft, and having a helical groove therein and a pin fixed to. the shaft and working in the groove, the groove being formed at one end thereof to cause the pin to lock the sleeve in looking position.

r 17. A safety device'for centrifugal machines including in combination a basket, a closure therefor, means operating automatically by closing the closure to lock it in closed position, means cooperating with the basket shaft for preventing the unlocking of the closure until the basket is at rest, and movable to unlock said closure only when the basketis at rest and returning immedi-- ately after such movement to closure-locking position, and means preventing the application of power-to the basket until the closure is closed. 7

18. A safety device for centrifugal machines including in combination a basket, a

' closuretherefor, means operating automatito the basket until the closure is closed, but

not interfering with the rotation of the basket manually by an operative.

19. A centrifugal machine including in combination a basket and shaft, a basket clolill) sure, safety closure means comprising a device on the shaft normally in locking position and movable to unlocking position by rotation relatively to the shaft in the tion of rotation of the shaft.

20. A. centrifugal machine including in combination a basket and shaft a basket clodirecsure, a safety closure means comprising a' device on the shaft, movable to unlocking position by rotation relatively to the shaft in the direction of rotation of the shaft.

21. A centrifugal machine'including in combination a basket and shaft, a basket closure, safety closure means comprising a device on the shaft and movable to unlocking position by rotation relatively to the shaft in the direction of rotation of the shaft,

TANDY A. BRYSON signed my only after said devices are 

